Tobin James Mueller - Biography and Major Works

Tobin James Mueller
ArtsForge Founder & Editor

Tobin James Mueller
for latest information, projects, and bio info, please see Tobin's Official Website

Tobin James Mueller is the founder and editor of ArtsForge. He has two solo piano recordings released by Simig Media (also availabe on CDBaby.com), progressive folk, rock and jazz recordings available from iTunes and CDBaby. He has written twelve musicals, several dramas, ballets, symphonies, lyrics to over 200 songs, a series of works for children, and has contributed to nearly every ArtsForge Collaborative Project. Contact: tobin@artsforge.com.

Commissioned Work

Tobin's Music
works for solo piano

An artist and entrepreneur in many fields, Tobin is an award-winning composer, playwright, lyricist, author, digital artist, director and producer. He has been a member of the Dramatist Guild since 1996. He's also written two novels, two works of nonfiction, several collections of poetry, two symphonies, a ballet, and a series of children's musicals. In 1994, he was inducted into the United Nations’ 1994 Global 500 Roll of Honor for his work with youths and the environment worldwide.

Tobin is co-founding a unique non-profit arts endowment organization, ArtsNexus, devoted to awarding monetary grants to new and established performing artists. ArtsNexus will also serve to assist new artists in the successful completion of their visions and will help connect artists interested in collaborative projects through shared expertise and financial assistance.

A native of Wisconsin, Tobin has served as past president of the Wisconsin Theatre Association - Children’s Theatre Division and was a Wisconsin Arts Board Artist from 1989-93. Among the awards received by his internationally recognized CenterStage Children's Theatre Troupe are the 1994 Wisconsin Association of Environmental Educators’ “Earthguard Award” and the 1993 Midwest Renewable Energy Association’s “Environmental Excellence Award”. His youth musical “To Save the Planet” has been performed over 400 times in seven countries.

As an outgrowth of his experimental online arts community, Artsforge.com, Tobin has collaborated with dozens of artists in creating everything from computer game software ( Xianu Override) to online illustrated novels (including Dreamless and The Power of 10). ArtsForge Galleries continue to display the best art on the web.

Tobin was living in downtown Manhattan on September 11, 2001. He has transformed this exprience into a lyrical music oddessey, Holy Land, a 15-track CD, and recorded his experiences in the acclaimed Journal from the Street, which also includes original photography. He has produced a double jazz CD, "What Survives?", a reinterpretation of the music from his off Broadway show, “Creature,” a collaborations with Artsforge musicians. He is also working on a CD of jazz, classical, and folk musicians crossing over into progressive rock with the group SILENT SUN; and several other cross-genre musical collaborations. In collaboration with Dave Matthews, Tobin is planning an MP3 online project that will build a song using submissions from musicians across the web.

Tobin attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Marquette University, and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, studying musical composition, physics and journalism. As an entrepreneurial artist, he has founded several companies and continues to spend a great deal of his time encouraging new artist to cross traditional boundaries and collaborate on innovative multi-genre projects.

See the MacJams' Blog Interview for an in depth bio...

Tobin James Mueller's Major Works:

2009: Rain Bather, progressive big band and contemporary jazz.

2008: Audiocracy, international collaborative progressive rock project.

2007: A Bit Of Light, progressive folk fusion, featuring fabulous musicians.

2006: 13 Masks - solo piano from the chaos of the subconscious.

2005: Morning Whispers, commissioned solo piano works.

2004: Pilgrim Village, CD of new music about transition and exploration
Runners In A Dream, musical drama set in the Holocaust
(music by TJM; book & lyrics by TJM & Randyl Appel).

2003: Dreams & Promises, Music Collection -14 track CD of musical ballads and film songs.
Speechless, Music Collection - 9 track CD of instrumental music.

2002: I Will Love, Music Collection - 20 track CD of love songs.

2001: Holy Land, Music Collection -15 track CD inspired by 9/11.
Journal from the Streets, first-hand account of 9/11 and aftermath, plus photos.

2000: Falling Past Love, Poetry Collection - a fall into passion and the climb out of loss.
What Survives, a jazz rendition of Creature themes, CD recording.

1999: Ash, Poetry Collection - a juxtaposition of biblical allegories and personal confessions.
The Best of CenterStage, Music Collection -18 track CD of selected children's music.

1998: Creature, an alternative Frankenstein, musical° (libretto, lyrics, music by TJM).
Xianu Override, a computer space opera, available for Mac only (story, script by TJM).
Established ArtsForge, an online community of artists, composers, and writers.

1997: Creature - Equity Workshop, the Willoughby Theatre, NYC (libretto, lyrics, music by TJM).
1996: Creature, 2-act musical reading, the John Houseman Theatre, NYC
(music & lyrics by TJM, book by TJM & Richmond Shepard);
Frankenstein, the Man-Made Messiah, 2-act musical, Thirteenth Street Repertory Company, NYC.
1995: Robin Hood, 2-act musical, featuring new music and a rewritten script, toured by CenterStage.
1994: Freedom’s First Light, 2-act musical, the Thirteenth Street Repertory Company.
(music & lyrics by TJM, book by Ed Medina).
Mickey Spleen Saves the Day, children’s swing era who-done-it musical about the human body, Act II.
1993: We Are the Ones, theme song of United Nations’Global Youth Forum &
Children's Alliance for Protection of the Environment
1992: Frankenspell Superstar, 1-act musical drama, CenterStage.
1991: Robin Hood & the Free People of the Forest, full length 1-act musical, toured by CenterStage.
1990: To Save the Planet, children's musical about the environment†,
toured by CenterStage/New Hope Productions,
winner of 4 national and international awards;
I Want to Know!, high school musical about the history of science & invention†, toured by CenterStage.
1989: Say "Yes!" to Life, junior high musical about drug abuse & peer support†, CenterStage/New Hope Productions;
The Sound of Money, children's musical about economics†, CenterStage.
1988: The Politics of Selfestness, essay, published in New Humanity, London, England.
Danger, Dinosaurs!, children's musical about dinosaurs' evolution & extinction†, CenterStage/Classic Arts;
Music of the Planets, children's musical about the planets, asteroids, & sun†, CenterStage/Moorehead University.
1987: The New Age Politics, political philosophy text, Amherst Press.
Nurturing Childhood, parenting column published by Lakesider Magazine.
1986: Man or God - The Source of Meaning in the Modern Age, philosophical text.
1985: The Diary of a Househusband, autobiographical domestic humor.
1983: Sweet Liberty, song performed at the Statue of Liberty Re-dedication.
1982: Born the Dolphin, a novel, modern fiction.
Sonnets, collection of poetry°
1980: From Where the Sun Now Stands, historical fiction, Indian History of Nez Perce.
1979: Pindar's Ode, contemporary ballet commissioned by & performed at University of WI-Milwaukee.
1978: Lustre, first collection of poems.
1977: Symphony for Band, performed at Lawrence University.
1974: From the Creation, avant-garde drama performed by Odyssey Playhouse.
1973: Find the Cost, surreal drama performed by the Samuel Pickard Theater.

Recordings:*

Rain Bather, progressive big band and contemporary jazz.
Audiocracy, international collaborative progressive rock project.
A Bit Of Light, progressive folk fusion, featuring fabulous musicians.
13 Masks - solo piano from the chaos of the subconscious.
Morning Whispers, commissioned song cycle for solo piano.
Pilgrim Village, CD of new music (2004-2005), 15 songs about transition and exploration.
Dreams & Promises, Music Collection -14 track CD of musical ballads and film songs.
Speechless, Music Collection - 9 track CD of instrumental music.
I Will Love, Music Collection - 20 track CD of love songs.
Holy Land, Music Collection -15 track CD inspired by 9/11, © 2001.
Dreams & Promises, Music Collection -14 track CD of musical ballads and film songs, © 2001.
Speechless, Music Collection - 9 track CD of instrumental music, © 2001.
What Survives, jazz renditions of Creature themes, © 1998-99, 2000.
Mickey Spleen Saves the Day, swing-jazz children’s musical soundtrack recording, © 1994.
Celebrate Earth, CenterStage Compilation audiocassette recording, © 1993.
Frankenspell Superstar, the Tale of a Man-Made Messiah, musical drama soundtrack recording, © 1992.
Robin Hood and the Free People of the Forest, musical drama soundtrack recording, © 1992.
To Save the Planet, musical drama soundtrack recording, © 1991.
I Want to Know!, musical comedy soundtrack recording, © 1990.
Say "Yes!" to Life, musical drama soundtrack recording, © 1989.
The Sound of Money, educational musical soundtrack recording, © 1989.
Danger, Dinosaurs!, musical comedy soundtrack recording, © 1989.
Music of the Planets, educational operetta soundtrack recording, © 1988.

*All music, lyrics, text & musical direction by Tobin James Mueller.
Produced by Tobin James Mueller.
Copyrights by Tobin James Mueller.

Additional Titles:
United Nations’ Global 500 Roll of Honour, laureate, 1994.
CenterStage Children’s Theatre Troupe, founder and director, 1988 to present.
Wisconsin Association of Environmental Educator’s “Earthguard Award”, 1993.
Midwest Renewable Energy Association’s “Environmental Excellence Award”, 1994.
Wisconsin Theatre Association, president, children's theatre division, 1989-90.
Wisconsin Arts Board, Artist-in-resident, 1989 to 1993.
Top Ten Digital Artists Award winner, 1999 highest vote getter.
Bryce Forum Select Gallery Award Winner 1998-1999.
DigiFad 10 Ten Award, 2000.
Digital Paint Award, 1999.

Web Design Awards:
Mind Tour Award of Excellence, 2000.
Visionary Award, 2000.
Webdancer's Pick, 1999.
Digital Waterfall's "Spotlight Award", October 1999.
"Best of the Best" Softwind Design Award, 1998.
"Killer Site Award", 1999.
Digital Artworks Award, 1999.
The Art & Ramble Award, 1999.
The Information Revolution Award, 1999.

ArtsForge.com
1-203-854-9317

CenterStage Productions
21 Hunt Street
Rowayton CT 06853

1-203-899-0319

Click on book graphics to read about these children's works by Tobin:

The Rest of the Staff:
Dave Matthews | Chris Mueller | Shawn Haley | Isak Sherwood | Judy Sandel
| The Power of 10 Team | Spaceport Staff |
| Xianu Override Team |

1-203-899-0319
Established August 28, 1998

Click on book graphics to read about these children's works by Tobin: